The Green Life

Daily Roundup

USBatteries: USBcell AA batteries get power from your computer’s USB port so you can fuel them up while getting your latte fix at the coffee shop. The Alternative Consumer

Programmable Fish: Scientists are studying the in-brain magnetic navigation systems that guide salmon on their epic migration in hopes that captive fish can be hardwired to survive in the wild. Wired

Bee Problems: Beekeepers and scientists are puzzled and troubled by the rapid disappearance of buzzing pollinators (photo essay). TreeHugger

LEED Jeans: Bonded Logic uses post-industrial leftovers from jean manufacturing to make environmentally friendly insulation. Stylin'. CleanTechnica

PVC Violations: The EPA has ordered K-Bin, a polyvinyl chloride manufacturer, to pay $12 million in fines and restitutions for violating the Clean Air and Clean Water acts. Scientific American

-- Mario Aguilar

Hurrican Season Ends -- But Not the Work

This year's Atlantic hurricane season officially ended on Sunday. With record numbers of consecutive storms and warmer ocean water, this year was the most active and deadliest since 2005. The Environmental News Service reports, "For the first time on record, six consecutive tropical cyclones (Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike) made landfall on the U.S. mainland and a record three major hurricanes (Gustav, Ike, and Paloma) struck Cuba. This is also the first Atlantic season to have a major hurricane (Category 3) form in five consecutive months."

While the waters may have calmed down, it's not time to relax, points out Florida governor Charlie Crist. Instead, meteorologists and government officials are using the information from this season to predict and prepare for the next. Furthermore, a large amount of cleanup remains necessary in some states.

Green Beauty Products: Hair Care

It's time to stop suffering from dry skin or frizzy hair. This week we'll offer tips for finding green beauty products.

Tip # 2: Go With Green, Natural Shampoo

Whether you have long, short, thick, thin, curly, or straight hair, you want it to look, smell, and feel clean. Most conventional brands leave your hair laden with proteins and residues instead of providing that clean, healthy sheen. For unconventional, natural cleansing, try Terressentials. Or be green and reduce waste by opting for a solid shampoo like the ones Lush sells; one bar saves three 250ml bottles.

Daily Roundup

Tall Problems: Michael Jackson's economic woes are affecting his pets, including four giraffes now allegedly living in ill-fitting cages pending their sale to new owners. Ecorazzi

Salty Solution: Historically part of the "fertile crescent," Iraq hopes to revive farming by launching a massive project to remove excess salt from rivers and groundwater. Reuters

Palm Reading: A recent study finds that palm oil is not a green option for biofuel since its production causes deforestation and habitat disruption.  BBC

Mass Pedaling: What's the best way for a group of friends to travel across town? It may not be the quickest method, but a bicycle bus is certainly the most fun. Make

Gassy Cows: As the EPA considers a possible "cow tax" on methane emissions, farmers express their concerns. The New York Times

Sea Creatures May Fight Global Warming

Increasing numbers of jellyfish-like animals called salps have been spotted off the eastern coast of Australia, garnering attention from researchers for performing a sort of natural carbon sequestration. Salps feed on phytoplankton, marine algae that absorbs carbon dioxide. The transparent, barrel-shaped animals excrete the digested phytoplankton in the form of carbon-rich fecal pellets, which sink quickly to the ocean floor. While it is estimated that this process can move nearly 4,000 tons of carbon to deeper water each day, some scientists are concerned that salps are replacing krill, a high-nutrient food for southern right and humpback whales.

Green Beauty Products: Lotion

It's time to stop suffering from dry skin or frizzy hair. This week we'll offer tips for finding green beauty products.

Tip # 1: Check the Ingredients

Cold, dry winters take a toll on skin, especially if you're compulsively washing your hands to avoid catching the flu. A plethora of natural and organic ingredients offer restorative properties to keep those painful, cracked hands smooth and nourished. Be wary of what products label as organic or natural. Pay attention to the ingredients and avoid parabens and petroleum-based chemicals.  Try Dessert Essentials' Almond Hand and Body Lotion or Pharmacopia's selection of hand creams in scents such as lavender and ginger.

Share your tips: What are your natural remedies for soothing dry hands?

Israel Says Shalom to Ecotourism

Israel, which has been waging a widespread campaign to get Americans to travel there, has jumped on the ecotourism bandwagon by transforming the 2,000-acre Hiriya garbage dump on the outskirts of Tel Aviv into what’s now called Ayalon Park, a recreational green space with trees, gardens, hiking trails – and a 75-acre recycling center. Though that’s the largest ecotourism project in the country’s history, the nation has a few others in the works: $6 million worth of new bicycling routes, including the 750-mile Israel Bike Trail, as well as improvements to hiking trails such as the Lower Galilee region’s 580-mile Israel National Trail.

-- Avital Binshtock

Photo: Sunrise on Masada

Green Gatherings: Transportation Resources

Expecting guests? This week we'll offer tips for green celebrations.

Tip # 3: Invite Green Travel

Encourage your guests to minimize their carbon footprint by providing transportation resources in the invitation. Google Maps can help cyclists and pedestrians chart safe routes, or help travelers track down directions for bus and train systems. Make carpool suggestions to partygoers who live near each other. If you're entertaining a tech-savvy crowd, suggest that people try out new ride-sharing applications like Zimride and Carticipate.

 

Daily Roundup

Everest’s New Challenge: Researchers point to mounting evidence that climate change may drastically affect the world’s most famous peak and the people around it. If things keep up, Himalayan glaciers could vanish by 2035, imperiling a billion people. Treehugger

L.A. Solar: Just months after implementing some of the toughest green-building standards in the country, Los Angeles steps it up again and initiates the world’s largest solar plan. CleanTechnica

Icy Friendship: Polar bear news that isn’t bad! Photographer Norbert Rosing captures some unbearably cute photos of sled dogs playing with a polar bear. No Impact Man

Port-a-Hydro: Dartmouth students have developed turbines that provide green power to go for remote areas with no access to electricity. Scientific American

Stroller to Trike: “Kid Kustoms extends the life of the typical stroller with an ingenious design to convert a stroller into a tricycle for a growing little one.” Inhabitat

-- Mario Aguilar

Chew On This, Japan.

Daily Kos has located an oddly compelling piece of media produced by Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). It looks as though it could have been produced by the same people who make the airline-safety videos, but the topic is more globally relevant: How runaway diets and food demand are affecting Japan, and what can be done about it.